Re: In one of those multiple universes...

From: Steve Clark (ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu)
Date: Thu Apr 20 2000 - 16:55:42 EDT

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    And the moral of the message is that science is conservative in all universes.

    At 04:08 PM 04/20/2000 -0400, MikeBGene@aol.com wrote:
    >Somewhere, in another parallel Universe‰¥Ï.
    >
    >
    >Biology departments everywhere adopt a literal teleological
    >perspective (instead of our universe's metaphorical use)
    >where origin events (but not regularities) are interpreted
    >teleologically. It generates pretty much the same level of
    >science, perhaps more since they anticipated the existence of
    >biological codes and molecular machines before we did.
    >
    >Yet a small group of scientists and philosophers dispute
    >the teleological interpretations. They note those interpretations
    >are heavily dependent on the metaphysics and game rules of their
    >science and claim history is too ambiguous to rule out a
    >non-teleological origin. They seek to explore such a radical
    >thought. Two members of this movement successfully set up
    >the "Darwin Institute" at a small materialistic college. Although
    >the college is committed to materialism, its departments adhere
    >to the teleological approach out of concern for their reputation
    >among other colleges and universities. So, when they
    >catch wind of the Darwin Institute, they label it as "stealth
    >eugenics" and seek to shut it down. After all, they argue,
    >it is good to discriminate against any eugenics movement that
    >would deny the important assumption of teleology. "If you
    >don't stop them," argues professor Smith, "soon we'll have
    >to teach our students that rape has been hard-wired into
    >our brains as part of their proposed mechanisms."
    >
    >In this universe, my counterpart is equally concerned about
    >this attack on academic freedom. And strangely enough,
    >the counterparts of the rest of you on this board are also
    >as concerned and disapproving of these attempts. At least
    >in *that* parallel universe they are. ;)
    >
    >Mike



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